Cyclonic separator for seal support

Abstract

A separator system for a blade outer air seal cooling passage of a gas turbine engine includes a cooling passage defined between an engine casing on a radially outer boundary and alternating blade outer air seals and vanes on a radially inner boundary; and a support positioned along the cooling passage and dividing the cooling passage into an upstream portion and a downstream portion of the cooling passage; wherein the support further includes at least one cyclonic separator having a flow inlet opening to the upstream portion, and having a filtered air outlet feeding to the downstream portion, and a particulate outlet for particles separated from flow through the cyclonic separator.

1 . A separator system for a blade outer air seal cooling passage of a gas turbine engine, comprising:
 a cooling passage defined between an engine casing on a radially outer boundary and alternating blade outer air seals and vanes on a radially inner boundary; and   a support positioned along the cooling passage and dividing the cooling passage into an upstream portion and a downstream portion;   wherein the support further comprises at least one cyclonic separator having a flow inlet opening to the upstream portion, and having a filtered air outlet feeding to the downstream portion, and a particulate outlet for particles separated from flow through the cyclonic separator, wherein the blade outer air seal comprises a plurality of blade outer air seals including a first upstream blade outer air seal, and wherein the support is axially positioned downstream of the first upstream blade outer air seal, wherein the support is axially positioned upstream of a second blade outer air seal that is downstream of the first blade outer air seal, and further comprising a plurality of vanes alternatingly positioned between rotors that seal against the plurality of blade outer air seals, and wherein the support is axially positioned downstream of the first upstream blade outer air seal and upstream of a first upstream vane.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the particulate outlet is connected to an accumulation point positioned within +/−10 degrees of a bottom dead center (BDC) of the engine casing. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a water flush assembly communicated with the particulate outlet to flush particles to the accumulation point. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a valve for removal of particles when the gas turbine engine is not in normal operation. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the valve is located at the accumulation point. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the cooling passage is defined circumferentially whereby separated particles can travel by gravity to the accumulation point. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the support is a full hoop structure that extends around a circumference within the engine casing. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the full hoop structure is a compliant seal support. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the compliant seal support is positioned to support a radially outer compliant seal and a radially inner compliant seal, wherein the radially outer compliant seal and the radially inner compliant seal define a passage therebetween for air flow from the filtered air outlet. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one cyclonic separator comprises a plurality of cyclonic separators spaced around the circumference. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cyclonic separator is integrally defined with the support. 
     
     
         12 . The system of claim  15 , wherein the blade outer air seal comprises a plurality of blade outer air seals including a first upstream blade outer air seal, and wherein the support is axially positioned downstream of the first upstream blade outer air seal. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the support is axially positioned upstream of a second blade outer air seal that is downstream of the first blade outer air seal. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of vanes alternatingly positioned between rotors that seal against the plurality of blade outer air seals, and wherein the support is axially positioned downstream of the first upstream blade outer air seal and upstream of a first upstream vane. 
     
     
         15 . A separator system for a blade outer air seal cooling passage of a gas turbine engine, comprising:
 a cooling passage defined between an engine casing on a radially outer boundary and alternating blade outer air seals and vanes on a radially inner boundary; and   a support positioned along the cooling passage and dividing the cooling passage into an upstream portion and a downstream portion;   wherein the support further comprises at least one cyclonic separator having a flow inlet opening to the upstream portion, and having a filtered air outlet feeding to the downstream portion, and a particulate outlet for particles separated from flow through the cyclonic separator, wherein the filtered air outlet is connected to a vane cooling space defined between a vane outer flange and the engine casing.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the particulate outlet for particles is routed to a surface or an internal passage within the support. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the support defines a circumferential flow path for the particles, wherein the circumferential flow path leads to a valve for removal of particles when the gas turbine engine is not in normal operation. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the circumferential flow path for the particles is defined within the support. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cyclonic separator comprises a cylindrical body having a conically tapered end, and further comprises a radially oriented inlet to the cylindrical body, a first axially oriented outlet from the cylindrical body, and a second axially oriented outlet from the conically tapered end. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the radially oriented inlet defines the flow inlet opening to the upstream portion, the first axially oriented outlet defines the filtered air outlet feeding to the downstream portion, and the second axially oriented outlet defines the particulate outlet for particles separated from flow through the cyclonic separator.